[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 149 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40207-40208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19572]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension to Form EIA-28, ``Financial 
Reporting System'' (FRS) which is used to collect financial and other 
energy-related business information.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 30, 
1996. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find 
it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, 
you should advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so 
as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Gregory P. Filas, Office of Energy Markets 
and End Use, EI-622, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone number (202) 586-1347 or FAX 
(202)586-9753 or E-mail to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information or copies 
of the form and instructions should be directed to Gregory P. Filas at 
the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275) and the Department of 
Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), the Energy Information 
Administration is obliged to carry out a central, comprehensive, and 
unified energy data and information program. As part of this program, 
EIA collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates data and 
information related to energy resource reserves, production, demand, 
and technology, and related economic and statistical information 
relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the 
near and longer term future for the Nation's economic and social needs.
    The EIA, through its Form EIA-28, collects financial information 
and other measures of energy-related business efforts and results from 
major energy companies. Since the FRS data are collected on a uniform, 
segmented basis, the comparability of information across energy lines 
of business is unique to this reporting system. For example, petroleum 
activities can be compared to

[[Page 40208]]

activities in other energy lines of business or nonenergy areas, and 
domestic activities can be compared to foreign activities. The data are 
used to evaluate the competitive environment within which energy 
products are supplied and developed and to analyze the nature of 
institutional arrangements as they relate to energy resource 
development, supply, and distribution. The FRS report, entitled 
Performance Profiles of Major Energy Producers (Profiles), has been 
published for each of the reporting years 1977 through 1994. The 
Profiles report for 1995 will be published in December 1996.
    The Energy Information Administration, as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden (required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)), conducts a presurvey 
consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal 
agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
reporting forms. This program helps to ensure that requested data can 
be provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized, 
reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of collection 
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

II. Current Actions

    This is an extension with changes to an existing collection. The 
proposed extension is to December 31, 1999. The revisions to the form 
will update the categories of refinery output of motor gasoline 
collected on Schedule 5242 of the form. The form currently collects 
refinery output of leaded and unleaded motor gasoline. The categories 
will be changed from leaded and unleaded to reformulated, oxygenated, 
and other.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the proposed extension and changes. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of responses.

General Issues

    EIA is interested in receiving comments from persons regarding:
    A. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility. Practical utility 
is the actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking 
into account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the 
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

    A. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions require clarification?
    B. Can data be submitted in accordance with the due date specified 
in the instructions?
    C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average 633 hours per response. Burden includes the total time, effort, 
or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide the information including: (1) Reviewing 
instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, 
verifying, processing, maintaining, disclosing and providing 
information; (3) adjusting the existing ways to comply with any 
previously applicable instructions and requirements; (4) training 
personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) searching data 
sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of information; 
and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information.
    Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate and (2) how the 
agency could minimize the burden of the collection of information, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    D. What is the estimated (1) total dollar amount annualized for 
capital and start-up costs and (2) recurring annual dollar amount of 
operation and maintenance and purchase of services costs associated 
with this data collection? The estimates should take into account the 
costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or 
providing the information.
    E. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that 
collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data 
element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential User

    A. Can you use data at the levels of detail indicated on the form?
    B. For what purpose would you use the data? Be specific.
    C. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so, 
what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
    D. For the most part, information is published by EIA in U.S. 
customary units, e.g., cubic feet of natural gas, short tons of coal, 
and barrels of oil. Would you prefer to see EIA publish more 
information in metric units, e.g., cubic meters, metric tons, and 
kilograms? If yes, please specify what information (e.g., coal 
production, natural gas consumption, and crude oil imports), the metric 
unit(s) of measurement preferred, and in which EIA publication(s) you 
would like to see such information.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).

    Issued in Washington, DC, July 26, 1996.
John Gross,
Acting Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 96-19572 Filed 7-31-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P